


some of my best years are new

by frausorge



Category: The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Genre: Gen, daysofawesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-18
Updated: 2009-09-18
Packaged: 2017-10-03 03:55:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frausorge/pseuds/frausorge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finally, something Rhoda's better at than Mary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	some of my best years are new

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Days of Awesome 2009. Prompt: Turning away.

"Mary," Rhoda called, knocking, "you still here?"

"Yeah, Rhoda, come on in," Mary said. She poured out another cup of coffee as Rhoda let herself in.

"Listen, I'm glad I caught you. Can I borrow your hair dryer? Mine just now suddenly stopped - Mary! What are you eating?"

Mary looked down at her plate. "Eggs?" she said. "And bacon."

"Mary," Rhoda said, hands on her hips, "you can't keep on eating bacon anymore if you're going to go around telling people you're Jewish."

Mary ducked her head. "Right," she said. "You heard about that. _How_ did you hear about that?"

"I heard," Rhoda said. "And I noticed you haven't been to play any more tennis at the club lately."

"Well," Mary said, "it turns out Joanne wasn't such good company after all."

Rhoda nodded. "I figured. So listen, I'm just going to take this bacon off your hands, since you won't be able to eat it -"

"But, Rhoda!" Mary said. "I mean, I wouldn't want to belabor the point, and surely you don't need me to remind you, but you - well, the thing is, you're..."

"Spit it out," Rhoda encouraged her.

"Jewish," Mary said. "You're actually Jewish."

"I know," Rhoda said, shaking her head. "I'm an awfully sad case. My mother would be so disappointed." She took another bite and chewed disconsolately. Mary laughed and bumped her shoulder against Rhoda's as she got up to clear the table.

***

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Mary said over the last of the casserole. "Do you have a date?"

"No," Rhoda said. "I have a service."

"What kind of - oh! Oh gosh, I completely forgot. And I was going to -" Mary paused. "El Shayna Towva," she recited, beaming.

Rhoda put one hand over her mouth to cover her laugh. "Mary," she said, "listen, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you make a rotten Jew."

Mary opened her mouth, but Rhoda went on. "I mean, I know, because my mother certainly tells me often enough, that I'm a fairly terrible Jew myself. But you, Mary, you're really incredibly rotten! Who would have thought? Finally, something I'm better at than you!"

"You've had years more practice!" Mary protested.

"You keep telling yourself that," Rhoda said. She wiped her mouth on her napkin, stood up, and carried her plate into the kitchen. "Now you make sure Raymond takes you to a nice place for dinner tomorrow, all right? No more of these fast food hamburger joints, or it's time to cut him loose. I mean it." She paused at the door to lift an admonishing index finger at Mary. "And have a good weekend."

"Right, I will," Mary said. "Have a good year."

Rhoda glanced back and grinned. "Thanks, kid," she said.


End file.
